To support the implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework, we must ensure non-commercial biodiversity research is facilitated by harmonizing access requirements and procedures as well as legal terms.
The 10th anniversary of the Nagoya Protocol affords an opportunity to take stock: are we, as a global community, beginning to achieve the Protocol’s stated objectives? Non-commercial biodiversity researchers fully support fair and equitable benefit-sharing and the goal of halting “biopiracy”. However, the implementation of the Nagoya Protocol has become a hindrance to many international conservation-focused research projects, which means that significant opportunities are missed for non-monetary benefit-sharing and implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework which guides our research. These outcomes contradict the stated objectives of the Nagoya Protocol. Here we summarize our experience to-date and put forth proposals to counteract the current trends.